Sarnia council has reaffirmed a motion made June 18 to proceed with public consultation for the reopening of Jackson Pool and a multi-purpose gathering place.
Staff have been directed to hold in-person and online public consultation to help decide if the pool should be rebuilt, or a splash pad would be better suited at Germain Park, and report back before budget deliberations December 5.
Nearly 2,000 people signed a petition calling on Sarnia council to rebuild Jackson Pool by next summer.
Council decided last April to “temporarily” close the 44 ft by 82 ft in-ground pool after staff reported that the pool, built in 1966, was in need of major improvements.
A pool supply and construction company estimated structural repairs, a pool liner replacement, accessibility upgrades and asbestos remediation to cost over $580,000.
The figure provided this year was significantly higher than an estimate of $167,000 made in 2016.
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Sarnia council has approved rezoning and official plan amendment applications for an active residential community on the northern portion of the Brights Grove golf course.
Developers want to build a total of 74 units — single detached homes and condominiums — between the south extension of Estella, Robert and James Streets and Lakeshore Rd.
While approving Monday's recommendation, council did give the developers some advice.
They were asked to commit to more public consultation before the next step takes place, in an effort to mend their relationship with neighbours moving forward.
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4k TV and even faster broadband speeds are on the way to Sarnia.
The city has signed an agreement with Bell Canada allowing the utility to install Fibre to the Home.
Senior manager Calvin DeLeavey says the project is extensive and requires a partnership with the city to be successful.
He says they’ll need a steady and predictable supply of permit approvals to keep the project on pace to complete in two to three years.
DeLeavey says they’ve met with Bluewater Power about accessing poles for attachment and Bluewater Regional Networks about working together for mutual benefit.
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Veteran banners will be installed on some of Sarnia's streetlight poles downtown.
The banners, sponsored by a family or business through the Legion, will be installed from October 1 to November 12 each year.
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The city wants to add more information technology (IT) staff.
Sarnia council has referred the addition of a new full timer and co-op student to the 2018 budget.
In a report to council, Director of Finance Lisa Armstrong says work is still underway on information security, a website rebuild in 2018 and a big IT infrastructure upgrade in 2019, which has been slow going due to lack of staff.
Armstrong says to carry out a previous mandate to split the division into three sections an additional full time Client Services Analyst will need to be hired.
A post-secondary co-op student is also being recommended to help with work that otherwise would need to be outsourced.
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The hours of operation for Sarnia's pilot off leash dog park are being altered slightly.
Instead of being open from 7:30am to dusk, it can now be used from 7:30am to 9pm.
The one-acre site, on the south border of Germain Park east of the lawn bowling parking lot, opened May 1.
While the park has been well-used and staff have not received many complaints, there have been issues with users not accepting the rules or the authority of committee members who enforce them.
Staff have been asked to conduct an online survey with park users over the winter and spring to assist council with its decision on if the pilot should continue.
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Councillor Cindy Scholten wants to know more about traffic at the intersection of Indian and Errol roads.
She's asked for a report to council on an assessment currently underway - which includes accident reports from Sarnia police.
In the meantime, staff have provided councillor Scholten with a report detailing the cost of repairs to a section of Denmark St. in her north end neighbourhood.
Staff say it would cost approximately $80,000 to shave and pave the street from Norway to Sweden St., but funding for the job is not available this year.